Comments Off on “Nobody Loves a Bigfoot like a Bigfoot Babe” by Phantom Bigfoot (a.k.a. Simon Okill)Book Reviews

The Northern California town of Big Beaver has become a haven for Bigfoot, alien sightings and is home to The Phantom Bigfoot Bather. One particularly weird Beaverite, Duane, has kept the Bigfoot a secret, but to his utter dismay, a female Bigfoot abducts a teenager. Duane must use all his guile to stop his secret from getting out, especially now that MB, his close friend and crypto-zoologist, is on the trail, along with Sheriff Lou and the FBI. Can Duane keep his Bigfoot friends a secret? And what does MB discover deep in the forest?

“Nobody Loves a Bigfoot Like a Bigfoot Babe” by Simon Okill is simply a wonderful book.Set in a sleepy town in Northern California called Big Beaver it centres around sightings of a Bigfoot, who may or may not be real, according to the people in Big Beaver. Much fun is poked at these sightings with pranks and jokes by the locals.When a teenager is abducted Sheriff Lou gets assistance from FBI Agent Merlot. But the Bigfoot is real and while the investigation is under way, one citizen tries to keep this a secret for his own reasons.

What strikes me most about this book is the great sense of humour and the tongue-in-cheek style that runs through the entire story. There is a reference to Twin Peaks and there are some stylistic parallels or similarities, only this book is funnier and not quite as dark as David Lynch’s work.

There are great one-liners and excellently drawn characters to make this book a delight to read. I finished the book in almost one sitting, drawn in by the great story telling and addicted to the community of Big Beaver. Simon Okill is an author to watch.

A very entertaining novel, highly recommended.

Hi Simon, please tell us a little about yourself as a person and as author. –

Howdy Christoph, and before we get into it, a beer would be helpful. Thanks. That’s better. I am Phantom Bigfoot, author of that which leaves my brain as a jumbled mess and somehow gets put in some semblance of order when the lights are all on. My lights were left dim by an accident and only my writing seems to replenish the power. The more I write the brighter the light. So it’s best not to be around me when I’m not writing. Hehehehe!

How long have you been writing, and how did you start? –

At least 15 years, but not since the accident have I become a full-time author. It all began one night long, long ago when I had too much to drink watching Twin Peaks and The Broken Lizards’ Super Troopers – well let’s be honest you need a few to watch those shows. That night it struck me like a right cross from Rocky – Bigfoot! Combine those shows into a town obsessed with Bigfoot!

The Bigfoot theme is such fun. When did you decide to go with it and write a whole book? –

That very night.

How did you manage to make it your own story when the Bigfoot theme has been kind of monopolised by the Hollywood films? –

Hollywood has declared Bigfoot a monster. Not me. My Bigfoot are peaceful creatures who bonk at the drop of a hat. There’s more but that will be revealed in my new Bigfoot novels.

Was the humour planned or was the idea initially more serious? –

I don’t like serious novels. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a serious message in Bigfoot but it’s relayed tongue in cheek. After all, I am Phantom Bigfoot purveyor of the practical joke.

Did you ever think of writing it just for children or young adults? –

Wouldn’t work, Christoph. The search for Bigfoot is not the realm of teenagers.

Did you have it all planned out before you write your stories or do the characters and story surprise you? –

Actually all my novels started out as screenplays and from there I fleshed them out into novels.

Which character did you most enjoy writing?

Duane is my favourite as he is what most guys would like to be – a bum with loads of money.

Leaving my world and entering a fantasy world of my own design where I can do and be anything I want.

What’s your least favourite thing? –

Marketing the little monsters – they take over your life and that’s not much fun.

How do you balance writing with family life? –

I get up before I go to bed and slave away until dawn then market for several hours and with a stroke of luck find time to write until the early hours. Family life has suffered somewhat, but I am hoping the pressure will ease with more books published.

How do you edit and quality control? –

First I type in key words that should be used sparingly – suddenly, became, felt, seem etc and use next mode to correct. I do same with repetitive words. After that I send the book to an editor.

How have you found the experience of self-publishing? –

Daunting at first. Formatting for Kindle and Smashwords drove me mad. By downloading reviewers for both, I have cut the time right down and now I can format both in under 20 minutes.

I know you are very supportive of other writers, but who are your favourite independent writers?

– That’s such a loaded question, Christoph, there are so many I love for different reasons, I’ll just say they are all my dear friends on ASMSG and I love them all. They know who they are.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (e-book/paperback/hardcover)? –

ebook – Fantacia: Voxian Series by Ruth Watson Morris of ASMSG

What three books have you read recently and would recommend? –

Once Upon Another Time by Rosary McQuestion –

The Nightlife Paris by Travis Luedke –

Capital D by Natasha Johnstone.

Travis would appreciate the sandwich I have going for him there. Hehehehehe!

Who would you say are the biggest influences?

ASMSG as a whole. So many great posts on writing have shown me my faults.

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?

None as far as I can remember, but I have watched my faves on the box several times – Where Eagles Dare, Guns of Navarone, True Grit, The Shining, Salem’s Lot, The Stand, To Kill A Mockingbird and the list goes on.

Tell us about your other books?

Okay, Christoph –

Luna Sanguis and Luna Aeturnus follow a young woman on the verge of vampire superiority, but she witnesses a brutal murder and is hunted by her evil lover. She wakes up in a prison-like room with total amnesia. She is defenceless and must depend on a young doctor to save her from The Count, help her recall her past and escape into the night as vampire lovers.

SS-Steppenwolf retells WWII through the eyes of a werewolf created by Himmler to destroy the Allies at The Battle of the Bulge. Not many people know that the Waffen SS were addicted to a mind-altering drug which drove them to kill without mercy, but when the drug ran out, so Germany’s fate was sealed by Stalingrad. Facts are twisted to fit the new order of the wolf. Rainbow’s End is a YA fantasy which explains what happened to Errol Flynn’s family heirloom that went missing from his birth 1910. The heirloom is Captain Bligh’s sword.

What song would you pick to go with your book?

Bigfoot has its own song – Nobody Loves a Bigfoot Like a Bigfoot Babe. But “Addicted to Love” sums up the entire book.

What are you working on now?

Luna Aeturnus is being edited for release in September.

Is there anything you would like us to know about yourself and your books?

What you read is basically me, so read my books to find out what I’m like.

I live with my wife and Shirlee Anne, in a pretty coastal town in South Wales, UK. We both love Stephen King and had read many of his books and enjoyed their transition to the screen. Due to our love of books, my wife and I dabbled in writing for some years as a hobby. We were approached by a film company to write a paranormal TV series. We struggled most nights and all through weekends to come up with 22 episodes only for the company to go bust. Then after an accident at work, I was forced into early retirement due to disability. I used my newfound skills as a writer to help with my depression. We decided to use our TV series episodes as templates for film scripts and novels. My writing became more serious as certain A-list actors expressed interest in my scripts and my debut novel Nobody Loves a Bigfoot Like a Bigfoot Babe was accepted by Christopher Matthews Publishing after so many British publishers turned it down.

Also by the author:

“Luna Sanguis” by Simon Okill attracted me because of its setting in Paris around 1925. I enjoy only the occasional Vampire story and with the setting in mind I had different expectations to the intense but thoroughly enjoyable reading experience I got.

Luna Sanguis has some exquisite historical feel to the story but it is mostly an intense and gory read with some detailed descriptions of killings, sexual scenes and psychological power games. It took me by surprise and thanks to the surprise effect I was totally engulfed in it.

At the heart of our story is Delicate Rose, or Eternal, who becomes amnesiac after being witness to a dreadful killing and she only escapes by the skin of her teeth. Brought into a lunatic asylum she continues to have nightmares and horrific visions.Count Lucien and his two sidekicks are after her and she knows a certain fate awaits her at the next full moon. The book is written in a very powerful prose and with very appropriate language to the historic setting. The story infiltrates your mind as you read it and the build up of suspense, the sense of helplessness and fear oozes from every page.Scary, clever, superbly written and at times disturbing this is not for the light hearted but seems a must for all fans of the Vampire genre who like it ‘rough’.Quite unforgettable.

Coming soon:

“Luna Aeturnus” by Simon Okill is the long awaited sequel to Luna Sanguis. I was lucky enough to get an early copy by the author for review.Rose, or Eternal, is still trapped in the lunatic asylum and the romantic sparks between her and her Doctor Eduard are blossoming, but Rose is afraid of Count Lucien, who will be coming after her at the next full moon. The possibility of two lovers eternally ‘reincarnated’ and meeting over the centuries is beautiful and adds romance of great quality to a story that is also often chilling and intense. The theme of eternity, eternal life and love runs through the novel and adds some reflective notes to the fast paced story with its many action packed scenes of fighting and violence. The characters are wonderful creations, be it the vile Demon Bonbon, the evil Count or his colourful sidekicks.The writing in this piece is amazing, and that goes not only for the skilful use of language. While the doctors wonder about Rose’s Amnesia, deem her possibly schizophrenic or ‘just’ traumatized it makes us often wonder ourselves if Rose is really losing her mind and we with her. Or are we? Much remains ambiguous but in a very fascinating and rewarding way.Like the first book this is a must read for Vampire fans

written by CBook5901
Christoph Fischer was born in Germany in 1970 as the son of a Sudeten-German father and a Bavarian mother. ‘The Luck of The Weissensteiners’ is his first published work. He has written several other novels which are in the later stages of editing and finalisation.

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